CITY OF WANAMINGO
City Council Regular Meeting
Monday, June 8, 2026, 7:00 P.M.
Wanamingo City Council Chambers – 401 Main Street
Wanamingo, MN
CALL TO ORDER: Mayor Ryan Holmes.
PRESENT: Council: Ryan Holmes, Eric Dierks, Jeremiah Flotterud, and Rebecca Haugen
City Administrator: Michael Boulton
ABSENT: Council: Stuart Ohr
Deputy Clerk: Lauire Musselman
ALSO PRESENT: Brad Kennedy, Peter Grimsrud – Zumbrota News-Record, Brandon Theobald - WHKS, Caleb Juan – Goodhue County Deputy Sheriff, Parker Erickson, Brandon Lunde, and Josh Revland.
ADOPT AGENDA: Dierks motioned to adopt the agenda, seconded by Haugen. Passed 4-0-0.
CONSENT AGENDA: Haugen motioned, seconded by Flotterud. Passed 4-0-0.
PRESENTERS:
A) Brad Kennedy reported on:
1) Finished getting the pool up and running for the season. Worked the better parts of three weeks with pool
preparation. Main leak repaired at the pool last fall which cut water loss in half. Safety training with seasonal pool staff is scheduled for June 8th. The pool seems to be running well.
2) Nature Trail – removed fallen trees off main trail and mowed. Still have several downed trees on side trails that could take a day of cutting and removal.
3) Brush pile was removed again by Kennedy Groundworks. The invoice was sent to Mead Johnson for reimbursement.
4) 4th of July welcome banner and light pole banners installed
5) Started 4th of July preparation work including mowing and trimming.
6) Mowed and trimmed along MN TH 60 & MN TH 57 ditch and utility poles. Mowed at the WWTP, community garden, undeveloped lot boulevards, and other various areas around town.
7) Emptied garbage containers on Main Street; the goal is to check and empty the garbage containers weekly. The new garbage container and pet helper trash bag dispenser will be installed at the Prairie Ridge Estate park shelter this week.
8) Swept streets; the goal is to sweep Main Street weekly, the west side of town and the east side of town on Wednesdays alternating weeks.
B) Brandon Theobald, WHKS – City Consulting Engineer reported on:
1) Have met with staff regarding future street and utility work planning
2) Clay sanitary sewer lines in the older parts of town (east and west of MN TH 57) will be televised to document the condition of the pipes. There are significant ground water inflow and infiltration on the first five block clay line segment to the east of Main Street. The City needs to reduce inflow and infiltration as part of the regional wastewater treatment facility and collections line project coming. This will keep all residents’ costs down for both the plant operation and construction. Theobald estimated televising costs are estimated between $10,000-$15,000.
3) PASER (Pavement Surface Evaluation and Rating) – the City conducted an initial rating in 2016 with an update in 2021. The rating ranks street condition from 1-10 (lowest number being worst condition and highest number being best condition). This updated rating would help with future maintenance or reconstruction (crack filling, chip sealing, mill/overlay, and reconstruction options). Theobald estimated that updating the PASER report would cost $5,000.
4) A roadway and utility improvement project is planned for 2027 with another project planned for 2031. The 2027 project has a maximum borrowing budget of $1.5 million with $300,000 in cash for Riverside Park parking lot and ballfield entrance pavement. Theobald stated that construction costs have increased in the past few years with full reconstruction costs being $1,000/foot and roughly $60,000 a lot.
Flotterud asked what clay lines would be videoed. Theobald stated that only the clay lines would be videoed since the newer PVC lines tend to be in good shape with little to no inflow and infiltration issues. Flotterud stated that inflow and infiltration will be a major problem for the City once the new regional wastewater treatment facility and collections system takes over for the City facility. Addressing as much inflow and infiltration in the next five years will save residents money on their sewer portion of the utility bills. Holmes stated that the clay lines have been a City Council concern since the early 2000’s. Flotterud stated that the proposed 2027 and 2031 street and utility improvement projects will be money well spent. Flotterud asked where the cost for televising and PASER updated report would come out from. Boulton stated that the televising cost would come out of the sanitary sewer fund while the updates to the PASER report would come out of the street portion of the general fund. The Council agreed to the proposed actions with the understanding that additional conversations will take place later in the summer/early fall on the proposed 2027 street and utility improvement project.
NEW BUSINESS:
RESOLUTION:
26-033 = Adopting 2026 3rd Quarter Maintenance Work Plan: Dierks moved to approve, Seconded by Haugen. Passed 4-0-0.
26-034 = Setting Date for Budget Workshop City Council Meeting: Flotterud moved to approve, Seconded by Dierks. Boulton stated that he will provide a first draft 2027 Wanamingo City Budget to the Council members in the coming weeks. Boulton stated that the Audit was finalized last Friday and that final 2025 numbers will be check in the 2027 draft budget and budget memo. Passed 4-0-0.
26-035 = Declaring Wanamingo 4th of July Celebration a Community Event within the City of Wanamingo: Haugen moved to approve, Seconded by Flotterud. Boulton stated that the flyer of events is still in progress and will be finalized later this week. Passed 4-0-0.
26-036 = Accepting 2026 4th of July Fireworks Monetary and In-Kind Donations: Dierks moved to approve, Seconded by Flotterud. Boulton noted that it is Jeff Benson’s 50th year as pyrotechnician for the Wanamingo fireworks and may be his last. Carl Majerus has agreed to obtain his pyrotechnician license after several years as an apprentice. Passed 4-0-0.
26-037 = Approving Separate Land Lease Agreements with WANA-PROP LLC, JSSW Properties LLC, and Concast Inc. for the July 3rd Fireman’s Dance and 4th of July Fireworks: Flotterud moved to approve, Seconded by Haugen. Passed 4-0-0.
26-038 = Approving the Appointment of Election Judges for 2026 Primary and General Elections: Haugen moved to approve, seconded by Dierks. Passed 4-0-0
26-039 = Approving Pay Request No. 3 For TK Contracting on Emerald Valley 2 Subdivision: Haugen moved to approve, Seconded by Flotterud. Flotterud stated that the development looks great. Theobald stated that the first layer of asphalt, grading, and seeding are complete. The ware course of the asphalt and stub of the stormwater piping into the pond (easement required) remain. Theobald stated that the agreements with Minnesota Energy for natural gas and Xcel Energy for electric services and street lighting have been signed by staff. There are no upfront costs associated with Minnesota Energy. However, Xcel Energy charges roughly $3,000/lot for service installation and around $1,000 for street lighting. Xcel Energy does provide a full rebate on the $3,000/lot for homes constructed within five years of service installation. Theobald stated that the original estimates had $1,200 per lot built in for electric installation with no reimbursement. Theobald stated that it is advantageous for parcel owners to construct within five years of installation to eliminate electrical service cost. Theobald recommends that the City pay these electric costs up front, assess them to the property owners, and reimburse the property owners any rebates received back from Xcel Energy. Theobald stated that this recommended process is the same for Prairie Ridge Estates 5th addition. The Council has no concerns with the recommended process. Flotterud asked how tracking would work. Theobald will work with staff to create and maintain a working document to track construction, reimbursement from Xcel Energy, and then reimbursement to property owners. The project is 91%. The total pay estimate is $63,858.69. Theobald stated that the new plat has been signed and recorded. Passed 4-0-0.
26-040 = Approving Phone System Agreement with RWC Tech Solutions: Dierks moved to approve, Seconded by Haugen. Boulton stated that the City phone bill through Frontier has skyrocketed in the last few years. Staff have been able to negotiate costs back down in the past but are no longer able. The City phones are on copper lines that are required to be replaced by 2029. Frontier does not have plans to replace the copper lines in the near future. The City staff and Mayor have obtained and reviewed 3-year quotes for voice over IP phone system for the City of Wanamingo from RWC Tech Solutions and Loffler. The two quotes are similar on price (roughly $5,000) and are significant savings from Frontiers billing over three years (roughly $37,000). There may be need for a hot spot at the swimming pool and some technical issues with the well-house communication that will need to be worked through. Holmes stated that the City has a current relationship with RWC Tech Solutions. Holmes stated that Loffler specialized in voice over IP phone systems while RWC Tech Solutions offers it to customers as an option. Boulton stated that RWC Tech Solutions and Loffler are able to port (keep utilizing) the City’s phone numbers. Dierks stated that switch is a good idea and is fine with RWC Tech Solutions. Passed 4-0-0.
OLD BUSINESS:
Theobald and Holmes provided an update on the Emerald Valley stormwater ponds and piping easement negotiation with Randy and Trish Amundson. Theobald and Holmes met with the Amundson’s on May 12th. Randy and Trish Amundson counter-offered the City easement off (1.2 acres for $5,000) with a land sale offer of 18 acres for $140,000. Holmes explained to the Amundson’s that the City can’t purchase land without a public purpose. It is in the City’s best interest to keep the negotiations moving forward. The Amundson’s agreed with Theobald and Holmes to allow for WHKS to survey and for the City to hire an appraiser to appraise both the 1.2 acres for proposed easement and the 18 acres for proposed land sale. Theobald stated that the meeting was constructive and moved to resolving the stormwater pond piping connection in the right direction. Theobald stated that once the appraiser put together the two appraisals the City could negotiate with the Amundson’s.
Administrator Boulton provided a June investment of funds update memo. The City of Wanamingo has four CD’s (Certificate of Deposit), created in 2023 with $1,000,000. The City received 4.5% interest over 13-month CD ($49,760.92 interest earned). The City reinvested $1,049,760.92 in four separate CD’s in May 2024 on special 13-month rate of 5.09%. The City reinvested $1,107,926.32 in four separate CD’s in June 2025 on a 12-month rate of 4.15%. The CD’s matured in early June 2026. City Staff spoke with Security State Bank on future investments of $1,153,905.26 ($45,978.94 interest from past 12 months) after the CD’s mature. Security State Bank would like the City to continue to have the deposit and have offered another special interest rate CD for what the going rate interest is in June. The current special interest rate is 12-month 3.80%. The City Staff and Mayor Holmes worked with Security State Bank to sign the four new CD’s on June 6th regarding the new investment of funds.
The interest earned (estimated at $43,848.40) is planned to be accounted for under multiple funds (i.e. general fund, water fund, and sewer fund). These investments should leave plenty of funds for cash flow in checking account. The checking account, new CD’s, the current CD, and money market funds (Stifel Nicholaus and 4M Fund) all help to diversify the City investments.
*Next City Council meeting on 7/13/2026 at 7:00pm.
At 7:41PM a motion to recess to fire hall for tour of building and equipment needs was made by Dierks and seconded by Flotterud. Passed 4-0-0.
The meeting convened at the Fire Hall at 7:55PM by Mayor Holmes. A facility and equipment walkthrough was made by Wanamingo Fire Chief Parker Erickson, 1st Assistant Fire Chief Brandon Lunde, and 2nd Assistant Fire Chief Josh Revland. The facility and equipment walkthrough highlighted capital improvement needs.
Adjourn: At 8:37PM a motion to adjourn by Haugen and seconded by Dierks. Passed 4-0-0.
Signed: Ryan Holmes, Mayor
Attest: Michael Boulton, City Administrator
